Back in September last year, I unexpectedly came across the Modern Calligraphy Summit thanks to Instagram and on a whim, decided to begin 2016 with a learning opportunity. The online classes begin today. I'm so excited to learn from the awesome artists and teachers every night at my own pace.
Since signing up, I've found ways to put my nibs and ink to good use so I'm more prepared by now. Practice truly makes better. I'm no where near perfection or even close to consistency, but I've been warming up my hand and wrist to gain better control of my penholder and the way my nib meets paper. I don't practice everyday because it's nearly impossible with mommy, work, and home responsibilities, but when I do, I learn something new about my letterforms. Here are some of my calligraphy projects along the way.
Finding the perfect nib for me. I started on Gillott 303 and 404 nibs. I then tried other kinds of nibs recommended for beginners and found the Nikko G nib to be most suitable for me. It's become one of my favorite nibs. I love the control I have when I use it because I tend to be a little more heavy handed and the Nikko G gives just the right amount of flex while being rather forgiving.
Updated Pearl's Pen Pals Etsy shop logo. My previous shop logo was created almost 5 years ago and a refresh was long overdue.
Practicing. Every few weeks, I find myself looking back at older calligraphy samples to see what I can improve. I always find something and so I keep practicing. I think I'm finding more comfort in my own penmanship. Just compare the differences in a few months. The same words but notice the different flow and pace in the lines of my more recent sample.
Turning calligraphy into a cake topper. For my babe's 2nd birthday, I vectorized my handwriting, die-cut it using my awesome Silhouette, and made a glitter cake topper for her kiddy party. After the party, I kept the topper and snipped off the dowels to use it as a scrapbook page keepsake/embellishment. It's one of my favorite calligraphy projects!
I'm looking forward to learning a ton these two weeks!
#nevertoooldtostartsomethingnew